Releasable vestibule-curtain handle



April 11. 192s. 1.666.073

J. B. SMOUSE RELEASABLE VESTIBULE CURTAIN HANDLE Filed March 14, 19272'Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY@ v April 17, 1928.

J. B. SMOUSE RELEASABLE VESTIBULE CURTAIN HANDLE '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMarch 14, 1927 IN/l/NTOR. Jr; 5f/muse patented pr, .17, `1928 JOHN B.sMoUsnor CHICAGO, iLLinois, Assieiionmoilron'rjoniaanuraornninoffjooivirnnr, A ooiaronarioii or iti-liners;

` .BIJEASABLE.vEsTiBULnLoUBLTAiN HANnLii. y

Abpiication mea March 14,1921! "serial 'Noiigoea Considerabledifliculties' have been` niet l with in using vestibule curtains betweenthe Vvest'ibules ofconnected railway coachea in `that-the liand-leisVery oftenpulled v.voi ot i the curtainor both the handle andouitfain.are pulled off of the curtainmounting; due lto the failure of' thebi'akenian or other car Y attendant to unholok the curtain'liandlelroin7 vestibule gcurtain on Whichithe 1handle'l its engagement with .itsretaining liooli be# fore 'a p alir ofcoaches are'separated'.` Y lL'lhisinvention hasbeen vperfected 'for the purpose. ,of-f' obviating.` .theab'oyeinentioned conditions by providingan improvedvestibule,curtain-handle; mechanism embodying a pivoted handle bar, thefree endofvlwhich is suitably recessedlor notched to permitthe handle'bar When in its lowered position for `useto frictionally engage aspring'v latching member having; a' latching powersuilicient to holdlSaid handle bai in^ closedpositioii under. normal operating. conditionsbut per- Y. mitting automatic release of said handlel bar, Y vWhen Vthesame is 'subjected towajbnornival strains as,V for example., When/two'cars. are H separated andan attendant has neglected Vto release thevestibule curtainfhandle-iroiii engagemeiitfwithV a hook on anadjacentffcar. Y i de an' improved vreleasab'le handle for a'raivconstructed that: under .normal operating conditi-ons it` will remainlatched Wliileiiii-v Y der abnormal conditionsorstrains,thelia'nf' f die'bar is adapted to4 be; automatically fre-1 f leasedlfrom a springlatohingpolsitionj be- F ore' ,permitting injury 'theretafor to, :the

' mounted. r

van improved handle mechanismhavingla "f'opeiating' conditionsfis su Itis a :further of provide a railwaycarl vestibule 'curtain with .handlebar wit-hone end :pivotally'supportedv enla-spring supportwhiletheotherend is notched to permit .the sain gage Aa .latch -springwhiiii;

under `normal handle. bar, in a lclosed positionbut permitting releaseofi saidv=haiidle b ar,4 when the V- same has abnormalstrai-ns appliedthereto.y y

VAnother object of thisginvention is gto prof videan improvedhandlelme'clianisin adapted i lor yuse 'on 'vestibulecurtainsfandthelike, said Vhandle mechanism embodyinga l sup f. Figure.2

to; lockingly-ene ent to :holdtlie' yin connectiiicf t) port havingrecessedarmsiu lone of WhichVv a springY support is mounted forpivotally otherbf said recessed arms is equipped vii/ith a spring latchadapted for holding the han 1 die barili a'closed position'underordinary strains j but pe'ifinitting automatic release of Vsaid handle`bar .toeobviate damage 'tothe' ,handlejmechanisim 4when afhandle bar,is 'subj ected "to abnormal strains.

or 4secured on a vestibule curtain Oron vany vother selected devicetofpei'initjtlie handle mechanism to be engaged'onajvestibule ourhoolrtovhold,"thegvestibule curtain A stretched between tvvoeralilway coachesundei'nrdinary conditions,said handle mecha.-4

nisni having the-handle bar thereof engaged on a resilient supportvandi'latche'd by a spring mechanism rhaving,v .a '-.strnqtlisifitncient to r4hold the lian-dlebar'closed und-er ordinary ltds animportant object oftliis invention to provide `a handle mechanism of'anfim- .65 proved ,simplified ytype adapted to be clamped `.conditionsVbut' permitting"automatic `release Of .the handle ba-r` anddisengagement from 1 lsai-d.l'ioolrivlie'n thejliandle bar.,i'ssiibljected l so i to str aiiisgreater than tli'e holding pivfyeriofthis invention. will apparentfi'onil'the di'sl Aclosures in; the'drawings `and lspeci.ticatioiijV Vllustrated in the' drawings. andliereina more fully described. i Onll'dfanngs l i, I r'e-'li a'rontplanviewfof arel'eas.-

ablecurtain 'liandlemechanism in fopenfpo# Y sitionf embodying' Q tli eprinciplejol this inhandle zme'chani-sni in rclosed positie j llgui'fe j3. is;` aflongit'idinal lsect un .handle niechanisin in open posit' l."Fiaedgurel llaan end'vi supporting fa notchedy handle bar/.while the.I

mechanism takenoi'ijlinefl-l of ligure'fg, l

f l:Afsrslioivi'-i on Athe drawings:

releasablehandle ,e mechanism ofthis 'invention is,primarily'adaptable'or'use Yonlthe vestibule cui-tainot a railway Vcan andy comprises yasupport or base ,section- 'enibrac-- loi-ined onfone end y there"having" integrally .fa Spllz'lalniils YSleevf 12` having aperta?.dldalilpls flanges i Tf' 3 integrally formed on the split ends thereohAlso integrally formed on the clamping sleeve 2 is avhollow arm 4 havinga passaged sleeve 5 forming a part t-hereof. The arm 4 is provided witha pocket or recess 6 open at its outer side and at the top. The sleeve 5is provided with a transverse slot in which the lower end of a fiatlatch spring -7 is engaged. A rivet 8 or other ysuitable retainingmember engaged in the sleevek 5 for rigidly holding the lower end of thelatch spring in position. The upper end of the latch spring 7 is bent atan angle to form fa. latch nose 9 while thevupper end of said spring isbent downwardly to form a looped latch head 10.

,-Integrally formed on the opposite end of the connecting bar 1 is asecond split clampy ing sleeve 11, the split ends of which terminate inintegraljapertured clamping flanges 12.1 Integrally lformed on t-heclamping sleeve 11 opposite and parallel to the arm 4 is a hollow arm 13provided with a cham-V. ber or recess 14 ,said chamber opening throughthe inner side of said arm and .i through the top thereof. Integi'allyformed within the hollow arm '13 is a boss or block 15 suitably passagedto receive a rivet or retaining member 16 which is provided for thepurpose of holding the lower end ofa resil- `ient mounting strap orplate spring 17 secured against 'the bossl. The lower end of themounting strap 17 seats in a notch18 provided in one wall of theclamping sleeve 11 .as clearly illustrated in Figure 3. The upper end ofthe resilient mounting strap17 is curved or rolled to aiford an integralbearing sleeve 19 inwhich a pivot pin oi' shank 20 is rotatably engaged.Secured on one projecting end of the pivot pin 20`is the flattened end21 of an arc shaped or Vcurved handle bar 22. The free end ofthe handley bar 22 is tapered to form atip 23 with one Y 'en' face/plate 'of anadjacent railway car.l

operating` conditions.

inclined face thereof provided with a latch vnotch at 24. L e e Theimproved handle mechanism, as hereinbefore stated, is adapted to bemounted on the free end of a railway car vestibule cur# tain to permitthe curtain to Vbe pulled orY extendedfroin one car across a vestibulepassage so that thehandlebar maybe engaged on a retaining hook mountedon a. vestibule Under ordinary conditions the handle bar 22 is swungdownwardly about its pivot 'pinZO into the closed position shown inFigure 2 with thetapered end of the handle bar frict-ionally engagingthe latch nose 9formed on the upper end of the Vlatch .spring 7. The

latch'nose 9 is adapted to resilieiitly seatl in the notch 24 in the endof the handle bar thereby holding the handle bar locked ina closedposition ready for use under ordinary When the handle bar 22 is swungdownwardly into the closed positioii shown in Figure 2, the springsupport 17 adapted to be slightly sprung upwardly as the tapered end ofthe handle bai' `is forced downwardly past the latch nose 9 until saidlatch nose is sprung into locking en gagement in the notch 24.

In case the handle bar 22 is subjected to l l an abnormal tensionalstrain as, for example,

when two railway cars are separated Aand an attendant. has failed tounhooli'the curtain handle from its retaininghook, then said pivotedcurtain. handle bar 22 which has a sumciciit strength to stand anadditional strain permits the tapered latching end 23 of said handlebarV to be pulled out of engagement with the resilient latch nose 9 ofthe latchy ing spring 7 which is'sprung outwardly by the abnormal pullon the handle bar 22. to permit automatic release of said handle bar anddisengagement of said handle bar from the retaininghool mountedl oii'one'of the railway cars. Whenv thehandle bai' is released by aii abnormalstrain both the resilient supporting spring 17 and the latch spring 7are adaptedvto'be sprungl to permit release of the handle bar. Theautomatic releasing of the improved handle mechanism prevents thedestructionthereof and obviates damage to the vestibule curtain on whichthe handle is mounted when the handlemecha'- nism is'subjected toexcessive pulls or strains. The releasing feature vof the handlemechanism thereby obviates thefreplacement of said handle mechanism,saving the expense of supplying a new .handle which would be necessaryif one of the old rigid type handle mechanisms were mounted on the,vestibule curtain.

f The improved handle mechanism of this linvention having a resilieiitlysupported.

handle bar adapted to be held in a releasable latched position by aspring latching mehr ber is adapted primarily foruse von ,a rail-v way.ear vestibule curtain. It will, however, be understood that the improvedhandle Vmechanism may also be usedfin combination with many otherdevices'and' iiivarious locations iii which a releasablehandle bar'V of thetype describedA will function to Aprevent damage .to the handlemechanism and to the 1. The combination with ai car"vestibule.

curtain and a car vestibule curtain hook, of a handle base sectionsecured to said curtain,

a resilient support in said handle base seclll) nee-6,0m

' tion, a handle bar pivotedjon saidfresilient support, and a' spring'latch in4 said: handle base section adapted to be fri'ctiona-llyVeirgaged on oneend' of said handle bar to 'liold said handle bar issubjected to abnormal .ten c sional strains. Y

l0 v comprising a base section, means forming a Vpart thereof forsupporting the base section 2. A vestibule curtain handle mechanism on'a curtain, hollow arms formed on said base section, a resilient supportin one z of said arms, a handle bar pivotally mounted on said resilientsupport, and a springlatch in the other of saidhollow arms adapted ltofrictionally engage said handle barato hold c c one of said springs, andaflatch headintef` the samelatched in closed position. p Y 3. A handlemechanism comprising a `convnecting bar, split clamping sleevesintegral'- i Vly formed on the ends thereof, a chambered arm integrallyformed on one of said clamp- Y Jing sleeves, afresilient supportinountediii said arm, a handle bar` pivotally mounted on said ,resilientsupport with-ione end of 'said handle bar tapered and providediwithalatch notch, a chambered. arm formed on the other vof said clampingsleeves; and av spring latch mounted therein adapted to lockingly seatin the latch notch of said handle barto hold saidliandle bar in a`closed position'for use Vunder normal-operatling conditions andpermitting automaticiV release of said liandlebar whe-n thevsame issubjected to abnormal strains.

1 4. A handle mechanism comprising a base section, hollow armsintegrally formed thereon, a resilient support in one of said arms, 'avnotchedhandle bar pivotally mounted lon said resilient-support, and aspringl latch in the other ofsaid hollowarms adapted 5to hold saidhandle barjlatched inclose'd position under normal strains andpermitting said handle bar to swing outwardlyV into open positionagainstthe action of said spring .latch when the handle barfis subjectedtoA strains greater than the resistance of said spring latch.

y 5.V A curtain handle of the class described 'comprising' a base,supporting members formed on said base, a hollow arm `formed on l oneend of said base, a `boss formed'in said hollow arm, a springv supportin said hollow arm secured lto said boss, a bearing sleeve formed onsaid spring support, Vay pin ]ournalled in said y.sleeve.;a"han,dle barse# cured onvone end of'said 1pin"said handle bar lia-ving theVother-end thereof 'tapered and notched, Vasecond hollow -arm formedl nons aidbase, a slotted sleeve formed in said second arm, a` latchspringfin said' second l 'arm having one end thereof secured in .saidslotted sleeve, 'and a latch head integrally,

formed on the other eiid Vof said latch spring adapted tof-1V engage thenotched ta# dinary strains and peimitt'iiiggreleaseof said handle" barwhen tliesaine is `s-ubgec'ted *tol abnormal stra-ins.

,6. VA handle mechanism compris-ing a-'base section, hollow` arms`integrally formed. thereon, spring members supported in said hollowfarms, andv a handle bar pivotally inounted'on one .of said springmembers and adapted to releasably engage the` other of saidspringmembers when in closed position.

arms, `a handle bar pivotally mounted on gi'ally'formed on the otherofsaid springs adaptedv to lockingly engage fthe other e end of saidlatch bar when in closed positionk permitting lsaid latch bar to bereleased when subjected toa strain greater than the resisting power ofsaid springs.

8. A handle mechanismcomprising a pair 7. A handle mechanism comprisinga ,base-,5 meansfor mounting 'the same, hollow arms v on. saidbase,.1plate springsin vsaid hollowy of hollow arms, a spring mounted.in one of;v

said arms, a handlebaifhaving Vone end Y thereof pivotally supportedon'said-spring, and a latch spring injthepother lof said arms adaptedV'to releasably engage the other'end of saidhandle bai-.to hold thesame` locked in closed position and permitting release of"v said hand-lebar when an applied thereto. t

in' said second arm `adapt-ed ltojrelea'sably locked Vin position undernormal conditions and permitting release of' the handleA bar 'when anabnormal pull is applied thereto. '10. A! handle mechanisml comprisinga`base, a spi'ing'support mounted thereon, af. latch springalsormountedon. said base op'-Y positesaid spring support, and a handlebarg having one endfthereof pivotally mounted' on said spring support,andthe other' endf' tapered'and notched to .permit the saineto abnormalpull is' ioo move the latch spring outwardly when .fthejl i Vhandle baris niovedinto closed position to be held insaid position b v said'latch'` spring.'

ll.`A liaiidle mecliaiiis in coiinprisingV 'a' ibase, "a pair of hollow'arinsfintegrally formed thereon, a springsupport` 'in `one of i saidhollow arms,v alatchV springin the other of saidk hollow arms, a latchnose formedl on said latchfspriiig, a handle bar, and a pininountedinone end of said handle bar and rotatably engaged iii` said:spring support,`1 said handle-bar havingvthe oppositege'ndf.l

thereof tapered lwith Yone of thejtapered;V surfaces thereof khaving alocking notchtherein Supported on Said mounting eprin(T 'adapted to hemoved into and out of .latching enggement with said latch Spring. e Y 10In testimony whereotI I have hereunto suhscribed my name.

'Jona e. erfreuen.

